Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-01-13
ence-ne was nonest enouon.

The man obeyed. bewildered; he had
not even expected to realize the amount
of the debt.
This is a piece of luck for him. in
deed?' said he.
She wrote her address. but no name
-of course, Clarence would know her
writing-took the receipt the man gave
her. aud the picture, and went home
rejoicing greatly.
Clarence would come tomorrow She
made her poor room bright with flow
ers and such small trifles of ornaments
as yet remained to her, and put on her
prettiest dress, and took her work and
sat down, in wildly joyful excitement,
to wait.
And he never, never came!
Oh! how many bitter histories of dis
appointed hopes and broken hearts may
be told over in those simple cruel
words--"She sat down joyfully to wait
for him-and he never, never came!
For good reason in this instance
he lay dangerously sick. 1t was with
out his knowledge that the picture
which he had allowed his landlord to
hold as security-had been exposed for
sale.
When he recovered, the shopkeeper
had lost poor Roses address, and
deemed it most prudent not to mention
having received it at all.
Clarence's grief at the loss of the por-
trait was great. He had been as faith
full as his little, watching, waiting, des-
pairing love.
ut is an evil omen," he said mourn
fully. Il have lost my Rose Of Roses
for good and all!''
Evil omen or not, matters began to
mend with him.
The six pounds-tritle as it was
saved him, for a while, from the hard
necessity of painting for daily bread,
and gave him time to finish painting
on which lie had built great hopes.
Those hopes We're realized. His
painting made a success sold for what
seemed to him little fortune.
lie found patroness-the wealthy
Mrs. Vane; was received into brilliant
society-ln fact, his days Of misery were
over. and prosperous future lay fair
and bright before him.
anu III liitNilh5 ~ oOAilG NnhiiOMl IL
stranger, who purchased a treasure
that priced as my own self! My Rose
of Roses! shall we meet no moref
What is wealth worth unless you can
share it?'
He would have bought the picture
back at any price, and TO that end adj
vertised for Titus:
".AIy Rose of Roses The artist will
give the purchaser Of this picture three
times the amount that was paid for ii. =
And Rose saw the advertisement; il
cut her to the soul.
"He is rich now, and am poor; he
grudges me even the very memory OF
the past OH, hear,less Cruel!''
A cooler second thought suggested
that there might be something 10 cx-
plain.
write TO him send your address
do no, condemn the man you love un-
heart; give him u chance to defend
himself
Thus pleaded reason and love. Pride
pushed them aside
''Wll YOU beg him to come to you
twice. You sent YOUR address before
and were spurneI, ignored; will you
lie in the dust NJ his feet again? Die
ratherr'
And she listened as women always
do-to the voice of pride, and repented
it-as women always do. sooner or las
or; for love. in woman's heart, ever
conquers pride at last.
She reproachcd herself for it now
oh, how bitterly! Tao silent patient
sorrow of it made hcresick, so that the
skirt was not done and Edith Vane.
remembering her friends pale face.
and feeling anxious about her, came to
see her.
Her quick eyes noted the picture
turned face downward 10 the wall;
noted also the name Of Clarence Grey
son on the back Of it.
why do you turn it SOP" she said.
May look27
She did not wait for permission, but
looked unbidden.
at is pretty! Where did you get itP''
was all she said; but she had recog-
nized the likeness, and seen the words.
Il bought it secondhand" poor
Rose said shortly, and the subject
dropped
But next day Mrs. vane said 10
Clarence:
You painted q portrait called 'MY
Rose Of Roses, once. Why did you call
it sop
He looked at her in surprise and agi-
tation.
at vas the portrait of the girl l
loved, whose loss has embittered all my
life. lost it strangely. Can you tell
me anything of it, madame? | would
give much to recover it,
Not very flattering TO the fair and
kind patroness. who had persuaded her.
self that she liked him, and that he was
in love with her But she was good
little soul. and truly loved her friend.
Il know the lady who bought it at
secondhand, she said quite demurely.
perhaps you yourself might get it
from her. 1t is hardly likely that she
prizes it much for she turns it with its
face. against the wall. 3"
He rose excitedly.
"You will tell me her name?" he
cried.
"Yes; it is Rose Lester"
He caught her hands and kissed
them. In ten minutes she knew all the
story.
THE unexpected always happens,
and 1.-The long-looked-for comes at
last"
Rose had quite ceased to expect the
lover she had SO long looked for, but at
last he came
She was working YEARLY.
what for?" she asked herself ITO
sustain life that had become too sor-
rowful. Oh, to be done with llvingr'
A light timid tap upon her door.
Edith, doubtless. Kind Edith, who did
not forget her in her poverty. Cruel
Edith. who took from her even the
poor hope that had helped her to en-
dure
Come inr
And the long-looked-for came to pass.
The door flew open.
She heard the voice whose remember
ed music had never yet died out of the
chambers of her soul pronounce her
name.
She uttered a cry-of fear-of ioy-of
love unutterable She lay clasped in
her lovers arms at last.
His tears fell on her face as he muir
INJURED, between kisses:
MY loyel My poor, pale flower! My
Rose of Rosesl'
Not for long could be call her pale or
faded, however. The Rose OF Roses de-
served her name once more, when, a
few weeks later, Clarence Greysoh led
her to the altar.